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Ole alumnus recalls 1989 National Spelling Bee win

By Tom Vogel
June 4, 2007

In correlation with last week's National Spelling Bee, the online edition of Time has run a special feature on past bee champions, one of whom is St. Olaf alumnus Scott Isaacs '97. Now a doctor practicing chiropractic and naturopathic medicine in Denver, Isaacs -- who majored in Russian and environmental science while on the Hill -- says that although he doesn't discuss winning the 1989 spelling bee very often, he still considers it his "number one" experience in life. "How many people can say they were number one in their field at one time in their life?" he says.

The word that gave Isaacs the win? "Spoliator," meaning one who robs, plunders or despoils.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.